More Lexington, Kentucky families will enjoy nourishing meals this summer thanks to 740 pounds of meat donated last week to The Salvation Army Lexington by members of the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP).

AAMP members donated bacons, hams, dried beef and smoked turkeys to the organization at the conclusion of the 2017 American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC), held July 20-22, in conjunction with the 78th Annual Convention of Meat Processors and Suppliers’ Exhibition. The ACMC is one of the largest cured meat competitions of its kind in North America.

AAMP coordinated efforts with Rock and Wrap it Up (RWU), a non-profit organization dedicated to arranging the recovery of leftover food from various events, to donate to the local food bank. Using RWU’s Whole Earth Calculator, the donation by the members of the AAMP translated to 617 meals and 402 pounds of CO2 not released into the atmosphere. RWU has recovered meats from the ACMC for the past five years.

Major Thomas Hinzman, area coordinator for The Salvation Army, Central Kentucky area, said, “We cannot thank the vendors enough for supplying us with such incredible food to serve the many women and children in our shelter. This meat will go a long way, as we are committed to serve three meals each day, totaling over 157,000 meals each year. Thank you for including us in your event in this special way.”

“The members of AAMP are conscious of the need in local communities to provide nutrient-rich foods – like meat products – to those struggling with hunger,” said Chris Young, AAMP executive director. “Meat is among one of the top requested food bank items. Therefore, we are proud to make a contribution to The Salvation Army of Lexington to bring servings of meat to families across the state of Kentucky this summer.

Source: AAMP